With Scully Park to be bulldozed to make way for a multi-million dollar motel development, it was apt that Tamworth teams beat their Armidale opponents in the first and second grade McDonald’s PL matches.

Oxley Vale Attunga Mushrooms, sponsored by the Tamworth Golf Club, teed off on South Armidale Scorpions, stinging their northern opponents 6-2 in a grand final delight for the Tim Coates-coached side.

That came after Tamworth FC, based at the Family Hotel, beat North Armidale 1-nil.

A Chris Hughes goal 10 minutes from fulltime was enough to give Tamworth FC its win in what was an unbeaten season (see page 19) then OVA Mushies stung the Scorpions with Luke Purcell snaring a brilliant hat-trick and having a hand in the other three in a man-of-the-match performance.

Tom Hungerford, Ryan Searl and Aiden Flynn also scored for the Mushies while Jamie Wright and Sterling Wylie had second-half strikes to give their Scorpions a glimmer of hope (see page 20).

However it was 24-year-old Purcell who had the final say.

 Coates had made a special request of him before the match to produce his best.

“His last two games he hadn’t turned up to play,”  Coates said. 

“I told him ‘you owe us one’.”

Whether that was goals or overall performance, it doesn’t matter because Purcell ripped the Scorpions apart, scoring the first two, almost scoring another and nearly setting up another and then snaring his hat-trick in the second half as well as a brilliant run down the eastern touchline to set up a glorious goal for Ryan Searl.

“It’s a great feeling,”  Purcell said.  “To win a premiership back for the club after losing the last two.

“I’d probably had the two worst performances of the season in the semi-finals.

“I wasn’t real happy with it at all so I was pumped to play well and it worked out well.

“I scored three and helped set up three – I’m  pretty happy with that.”

The 24-year-old has been playing first grade since he was a 16-year-old with Hillvue Rovers.

“I came across (to OVA) in 2007 and we won in the first year – beat North Armidale at Bear Park. 

“I sat on the bench. 

“And I’ve played in every one since.

“But I’ve played with a great bunch of blokes. 

“We’re all close mates and help each other out. 

“We’re always there for each other, all have kids in the same age ranges, always have a birthday party to go to.

“Souths were a surprise packet too.

“We didn’t expect to be playing them. 

“They deserve credit too – they’re a top quality side.”